Editor's Note: This is the last installment of Dave Lowry's four-part exposé on sake. If you missed the prior articles, they are here here and here.
Easily the best source of sake in St. Louis is Lukas Liquor in Ellisville. There are several medium-range sake varieties here and some unexpectedly good and superior varieties. In case you’re wondering again what you could possibly get me for Valentine’s Day, here are a couple that’ll put you on my good side almost as quickly as one of those Whitman Samplers:
• Any of the better (read: in this case, more expensive) nigorizake. Nigori-style sake have some of the rice lees left in during the brewing process. Shake the bottle before pouring—the sake turns milky. It looks like a cup of delicious cream, and tastes far better.
• Wakatake “Onikoroshi” Junmai Daiginjo ($69.99) is one of the sake from the Joy Sake, the “Demon Killer.” It’s a remarkable sake, with an extremely complex taste. This is one you really want to enjoy slowly. It’s arguably among the best sake to be had in the West.
Lukas Liquor
15921 Manchester
636-227-4543